1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clutch assembly, and more particular to a clutch assembly in which a flywheel and a clutch cover assembly are fixed to each other by an intermediate piece to provide a reduction in radial size.
2. Description of the Related Art
A clutch assembly is mainly composed of a flywheel on an input side, a clutch cover subassembly fixed to this flywheel and a clutch disc subassembly. The clutch cover assembly is mainly composed of a dish-like clutch cover, a pressure plate covered by the clutch cover and facing the flywheel, and a diaphragm spring for urging the pressure plate, supported to the clutch cover, toward the flywheel. A bolt mounting seat projecting radially outwardly is formed on an outer circumferential portion of the flywheel. An outer circumferential portion of the clutch cover is fastened to the bolt mounting seat by bolts. The clutch disc subassembly is interposed between the flywheel and the pressure plate. When the release unit causes the diaphragm spring to move in the axial direction, a spring force against the pressure plate is released so that the pressure plate is separated away from the clutch disc subassembly.
There is a clutch assembly in which the bolt mounting seat of the flywheel is dispensed with, and the outer circumferential portion of the clutch cover is press-fitted to and integrated with the outer circumferential portion of the flywheel. Thus, the bolt mounting seat is dispensed with so that the clutch assembly as a whole is miniaturized in the radial direction.
In the conventional clutch assembly, when a worn clutch disc subassembly is replaced by new one, the clutch as a whole is removed from the crankshaft. Subsequently, the press-fitted portion of the clutch cover is broken to disassembly the clutch disc subassembly and the flywheel from each other. In this case, the clutch cover that has been removed could not be reused.
In order to solve such a problem, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-81532 discloses a clutch assembly in which the outer circumferential portion of the clutch cover is engaged with the outer circumferential portion of the flywheel with the two components being kept non-rotatable relative to each other. Furthermore, the two components are fastened by bolts. In this clutch assembly, since bolts are mounted from the outer circumferential side of the flywheel, the radial dimension of the clutch assembly as a whole is increased and at the same time, the operation for the bolts becomes difficult.